Tips for picking the perfect real estate agent

A recent article on Bankrate.com offered home buyers and sellers help picking the best real estate agent for them — something that, according to Stephen Brobeck, executive director of the Consumer Federation of America, in Washington, D.C., isn’t so easy.

Here is what Dratch and others recommended buyers and sellers do to choose a great real estate agent:

Talk with recent clients.
Ask for a list of homes the agent has sold in their last year, including information to contact clients, Ron Phipps, past president of the National Association of Realtors suggested. Buyers should find out what the asking prices and selling prices were. Sellers should ask if any of the homes were similar to theirs in price and location, among other things. Last, inquire about time on the market.

Look up the licensing.Phipps suggested checking your state’s board to make sure the prospective agent is licensed and to check for any disciplinary complaints against them.

Pick a winner.
Pick an award-winning agent. “One that really means something is the “Realtor of the Year” designation awarded by the state or local branch of NAR,” Dratch wrote.

Select an agent with the right credentials.
Some real estate agents are certified in a particular specialty, which signifies they’ve had additional training beyond licensing. An agent with CRS, for example, specializes in residential sales. A “Realtor” is a real estate agent who, as a member of NAR, “formerly pledges to support the code of ethics,” according to Phipps.

Research how long the agent has been in business. Once again, utilize your state’s licensing division to find out how long the agent has been in business. Or, you can just ask the agent outright.

Look at their current listings.
Good places to start are the agent’s website and sites like Realtor.com, Brobeck noted. Determine if the agent’s listings are similar to the property you want to buy or sell and are in the same geographical area and price range.

Ask about other houses for sale nearby.
Irwin suggested mentioning a house in your area that sold recently or is currently for sale.

“If the agent knows the property and can give you a few details, that means he or she really knows your area,” he said.

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84 Comments

My husband and I have been thinking about buying a new house, and when we do, we will probably want the help of a realtor. I like your tip about looking at current listings. I definitely want to choose someone who can set me up with house offers that I will love, you know? I think a house is something that you should never compromise on.

My wife and I are about to start looking for a house to buy, so I am trying to find a real estate agent now. I like the idea of talking to the recently clients, as you mentioned. Is that information that you can just ask the agent for?

These are some great tips, and I appreciate your advice to talk to recent clients of the real estate agent you’re considering. My husband and I are going to be moving at the beginning of next year, so we want to start our search. We’re going to need a good real estate agent to guide us through this, so we’ll definitely talk to recent clients to see if they were satisfied with the agent’s services before we make a final decision. Thanks for the great post!

My husband and I want to move this year, and we know that we are more likely to have success if we hire a real estate agent. I like the tip you give of looking for someone who has the right licensing and credentials. I think that it would also be smart for us to hire someone who has a personality we can mesh with and cares about us personally.

You can also see what others have to say about the realtor by reading online reviews. That way you can see if people had a good experience with the realtor or not. This tip, along with all of the others mentioned in the post, will hopefully help you find the perfect realtor!

Thanks for recommending some tips for hiring a real estate agent. You make a good point about how you should select someone with the right credentials. It seems like it is important to make sure they have the right training and experience to help you with buying or selling a home. I really want to sell my home, so I will have to start doing some research for reputable agents in the area.

Thanks for sharing. I never thought about looking for a real estate agent who has won awards. My wife and I need to sell our house. It would be nice to get it done quickly. I’ll have to look for an award winning agent.

Talking with recent and past clients is a smart move. That way you can see if they enjoy, and enjoyed, working with the realtor. That way you will know that you will enjoy working with him/her. Doing that should hopefully help you to find the best realtor!

I think it is great advice to look up credentials. There are a lot of people that don’t consider the importance of experience. It may not necessarily be true that experience will always get you a good home. However, it is important to understand that the experience can be beneficial in the home-buying process.

Word of mouth is the best way to find an agent. Sometimes if you don’t know anyone in the town you are searching, see if you can find a local coffee shop or small local restaurant. Just order something and sit down, soon enough you can start a conversation and find out where to start in finding the right agent. My agent has saved me money and serious frustration, I won’t ever move without her help!

I love the idea of looking at their current listings to get an idea of how they plan on selling your home. If the homes you see are similar to what you have that will let you know that they have experience. How well their website is organized will also give you an idea of what to expect.

I really like your suggestion to look at their current listings to get more information. A lot of real estate agents are knowledgeable about a lot of different kinds of properties, but they may have a specialty. If their specialty matches the kind of house you’re looking for, you’ve probably found a good match.

I am going to sell my home and am in the process of trying to find a real estate agent. I think that is a really good idea to talk with recent clients of the real estate agent to get an idea of what they were like to work with and whether or not the client was satisfied with their work. I never thought to do that before, so I think I will try it out. Thanks for the tips!

I like your idea of talking with recent clients of your potential realtor. Specifically, you mentioned to talk about the asking and selling prices of the homes of other clients. I feel that talking with other clients is not only helpful with knowing other buying and selling prices, but also understanding how other people felt about working with that realtor overall.

Asking for a list of homes the agent has sold in the last year and contacting their previous clients is a great idea. I would think that asking realtors previous clients about their experience with the realtor is a great way to see how well the realtor delivered on their promises. I didn’t know this was an option, and I’ll be asking for a list of previously sold homes from my next realtor.

I think that looking up their licensing is one of the most important things that you can do when looking for a realtor. Not only do you want to ensure that they’re experienced in the field, but you want to make sure that they’re qualified to be working in the field in the first place. This way you have the peace of mind you need to know that you’re working with someone who is good at their job and will give you the right guidance you need when it comes to buying a new home. Thank you for sharing!

My wife and I have considered moving and in the case where we do I want to make sure we hire the best realtor. You wrote that researching how long the agent has been in business is a good tell of a quality realtor. I would definitely research that to help especially since I want someone who has been in the business for a while and is familiar with the area.

I have worked with some really great real estate agents over the years. The only problem was when I was researching them at the time, they weren’t really doing anything online. Nowadays, real estate agents are all over the internet, and sometimes even post the homes they are selling online which makes the whole process much easier! In order to make the right decision, I really like the idea of talking with clients the agent has helped in the past. This can help you know if he or she was able to make the quality time you deserve.

I am trying to find a real estate agent because my wife and I are thinking about moving at the end of the year. Finding a good real estate agent can be difficult, though. It is a big decision to make and there are so many realtors out there. I think that is a good idea to pick an award-winning agent. I will check and see if the realtors I am looking into have ever been awarded “realtor of the year” like you suggest. Thanks for these tips!

I was looking to know more about how to pick a successful real estate agent. It is good to know that selecting a realtor with the right credentials is very important. It would be best if the person has additional training beyond licensing. Something to consider would be to find someone local to make meetings more convenient.

I’m hoping to buy a new house and need to get some help from a real estate agent. Researching how long an agent has been in business in your area is a smart idea. That way, you can be sure that they know the area and are able to tell you about the neighborhoods statistics.

Looking at their current lists does seem like a smart thing to do. After all, you don’t want to hire a realtor that has too many homes under them. Also, you want to make sure that they can sell a home quickly.

I agree that you would want to talk with past clients when you are hiring a realtor. I would imagine that knowing what past clients have to say would be really helpful. I’m looking to hire a realtor to help me buy a house so I’ll have to check with past clients first.

It is a good idea as you say in the article to talk with an agent’s most recent clients to find out how well the agent is. I am interested in moving fairly soon and will be in need of a good agent. Thank you for the awesome information and I will have to keep it in mind when I start the search for mine.

I appreciate the tips on picking the perfect real estate agent. I agree that it is important to talk with recent clients, this can give you a better understanding of how the real estate agent really works with their clients. My sister is debating on selling her home and moving, I will be sure to share this information with him.

I want to hire a real estate agent to help me sell my house because I quickly realized that I had no idea what I was doing. I like how you mention to pick an award winning agent. I never thought to ask if a real estate agent has won any awards, but I would imagine that if they have won any awards, it’s because they are the real deal.

I agree that you need to check a realtor’s licensing before you hire them. I would imagine that you would need to choose someone who is properly licenced and insured. I’m looking for a realtor so I’ll have to check their licencing before I hire them.

I really like your tip about selecting an agent with the right credentials! My husband and I have been thinking about buying our first home for a while now. We will have to keep these tips in mind while we are searching for real estate agents. Thank you for sharing!

Thanks for bringing to my attention the value of talking to recent clients when choosing a real estate agent. I’m going to be buying my first house, so I’ll need some good professional guidance. I imagine that looking at recent clients’ experiences will give me a feel for the quality of a real estate agent, so I’ll make sure to do that.

I love your advice to make sure you are going with someone that has proper experience. The last thing you want to do is go with someone that doesn’t have the ability to help you. However, if someone has good experience, then you can really count on them helping you properly. Do you have any other tips about finding a good real estate agent?

I do like that you encourage your readers to pick a real estate agent that has won awards as that is something that is not often suggested. However, an award winning real estate agent can in fact be quite useful to have. The awards are most likely in honor of their skills for selling homes and negotiating which means, if you hire them, you’ll have a winner for sure in your corner.

My husband and I are looking to get buy our first home. Researching is an important thing to do so that you can get an agent that has been in business for a long time. It would also be smart to get an agent that you are comfortable with. That way, you will be more likely to follow their advice.

I like what you said about picking a winning real estate agent. I’ve never thought to check for realtors that have been awarded by state authorities, but that is something I will look for in the future. While having an award isn’t everything, it does show that the agent is trusted by the state, which means they are probably a good option for you. We are going to start looking for the right agent for us in a few weeks — we’ll remember all that was said in this post when we start searching.

Thanks for sharing some tips for picking a good real estate agent. You make a good point about how recent clients can be a great resource. It makes sense that speaking with someone who has gone through a similar process will be able to give you good advice and an idea of how your agent will be able to help you. My husband and I are thinking about buying a home, so we will have to start researching real estate agents and asking around.

You have so much great advice! My husband and I are looking to move, but we need to find a real estate agent first. I really like what you said about picking an award-winning agent. That is such a smart idea! It would be comforting to know that they are very good at their job.

This is the first time my husband and I are looking into buying a home, and we want to make sure we have the best experience possible. I think finding the right realtor services will really help us with that. As you suggested, finding someone that has been in the business for a while and that has the right credentials is important in order to have the best real estate experience. We will be sure to keep these tips in mind as we move forward with this next big step in life!

My husband and I are looking to buy our dream home. Thank you for the information about how you should get an agent that has been in business for a long time. It would also be smart to get a real estate agent that is easy to contact and get a hold of. That way, you know you can get help even at odd hours.

Selecting a person with the right credentials would be a wise thing to do when it comes to finding a realtor. It would be nice to find someone with additional training beyond licensing. My cousin was pleased with her realtor because everything he did was professional. He even set fresh flowers on the table before showings.

I agree that you would need to check with your state board of licensing when you are looking for a real estate agent. I would imagine that checking their license on a state level would tell you that they are professional and familiar with the area. I’m looking for a realtor to help sell my home so I’ll have to be sure to check up and see that they are licensed before I hire one.

I like your idea to check a agent’s current listings. This can help you see what his or her web presence is like. I’ve also heard that it’s sometimes a good idea to consider full-time agents over part-time agents because they tend to be more committed to their work.

I agree that picking a realtor that has a history of being successful would be very beneficial to be able to find the right property and get it for a good price. I had not thought about asking to see houses nearby ones that have been sold to see how knowledgeable the realtor is in the area. I also think that it is important to find someone that can help you to find exactly what you are looking for. I know that some people are on their own agenda rather than trying to help out their clients, so it is important to find someone that is there for you.

I like the a idea the article gives about talking with recent clients about their experience with a real estate agent. It would give you a great opportunity to hear firsthand testimonials and experiences about what it’s like working with your potential agent. I’ve even heard it can help give you an idea of what lengths a real estate agent will go to when helping to sell your home.

siaosi – You are certainly thinking along the right lines. Just the disclosures can be overwhelming. In addition, having an agent that has experienced and tackled many different transnational challenges in a plus. I was a loan officer before moving back into real estate and it certainly makes a big difference for my buyer clients.

You make a good point about having someone that has a good point. I want to make sure that they know their current listings. I would want to make sure that I have someone that knows the area well. Me and my wife have been looking for a home for quite a while.

siaosi – Inventories are low now, because we are in the off season. Spring should deliver more inventory. Here in Orange County, CA I only have 7-single family homes in the Mesa Verde area of Costa Mesa. Normal would be 32-40.

“If the agent knows the property and can give you a few details, that means he or she really knows your area,” That’s true. That kind of agent can really help you and give you some advices especially if you’re not familiar with that area.

I love your advice to talk to recent clients. My brother is looking to buy a new home, and we really want to make sure that he is just getting the right deal. One of the best ways to know if the realtor we hire is good is to ask around. Do you have any other tips about hiring a good real estate agent?

We are looking at selling our home, and we want to make sure we can find a reliable and helpful real estate agent. It’s important that they have experience in doing sells similar to yours, and as you said, seeing how long they have been in business can help with this. In our digital world today, it may also be a good idea to ask about their experience with online listings and social media. Thanks for sharing!

My sister wants to sell her home, but has been having trouble doing it on her own. In your article you wrote that you should speak with recent clients of the real estate agent, and see how much they ended up selling their home for and how long it was on the market. This could give you a good idea of what your experience would be like working with them, and see if it is what they are looking for. Thanks for the great tips.

Remember, we REALTORS work for you and are looking out for your best interest. I always show my clients our version of the MLS, not just the buyers copy. I want them to see if there are any agent bonuses being paid out and if so, I always ask that the bonus is taken off the price of the house and given to the buyers and not to me.

I completely agree about asking questions about comps and other listings in the neighborhood. Any decent real estate agent should also know things like HOA fees and any building restrictions. If you are working with a real estate agent that hasn’t done their homework, it is time to find someone else.

I never thought about looking for an award-winning agent like you mentioned! That is something that I’ll have to keep in mind while my husband and I are getting ready to sell our home. This will be the first time that we are going through the selling process so having someone to walk us through everything would be really helpful. I’ll have to show these tips to my husband to help us with our search, thank you for sharing!

Licensing does seem important when you are considering a real estate agent. It would seem that you would want to find someone who is properly licensed because this shows experience. My sister is looking for someone to help her buy a new home after the divorce so she’ll have to find someone who is properly licensed to help her out.

These are some good ideas for choosing the right real estate agent. It’s great to know what certifications and awards to look for. Next time my wife and I want to buy a home, I’ll make sure to look for a “Realtor of the Year” winner.

I really like that you mentioned the importance of real estate marketing. I’ve thought about selling my home before and working with an agent who knows everything about real estate and have experience in this field.

I love what was said about speaking with recent clients when it comes to hiring a realtor. It would be good to find what asking and selling prices were. It would also be a good idea to ask the clients about how the agent communicated. It would be ideal to have someone who could answer questions quickly.

I like how you say that you would want to look at a realtor’s credentials when you choose them. It would seem that you would want to find someone who is certified and specialized. My sister is looking for a new home so she’ll have to find someone who has the right credentials.

I like how you explain that some realtors have special training of one kind or another. I think that one good kind of training is that a realtor have experience using real estate listings online to help quicken the process of finding a home. I think it would also be a good idea for you to use those online listings to let your real estate agent know if there are any properties that catch your eye so he/she can look into them more.

I like how you say that you would want to consider a realtor’s licensed. It would seem that you would want to find someone who is licensed because it shows experience. My sister is looking to buy a piece of property, so she’ll have to find someone who is licensed.

My husband and I are recently married, and we’re looking to buy our first home. We want to make sure we have the right real estate agent by our side to guide us through this process. Like you said, we will want to utilize the state’s licensing division to find out how long the agent has been in business. Thanks for sharing!

I’m glad that you mentioned that some real estate agents can have special certifications, and that it could indicate they’ve had training beyond their licensing. I’m glad that you mentioned some certifications, but I think it could also be worth someone’s time to learn and research more about them. Perhaps by looking up these certifications, you know exactly what type of real estate agent you needs, and now you know exactly what to look for.

I like what you say about looking at how long they’ve been in business. If they’ve been around a while, they must be doing something right. My wife and I are looking at renting a new luxury home, so I’ll be sure to check out some agents that have at least 10 years experience.

That’s great to know that real estate agents are licensed. My wife and I are just starting to consider buying a home so we’ll be sure to work with a realtor that has an up-to-date license. Thanks for the great tip.

I like what you say about looking at how long they’ve been in business. If they’ve been around a while, they must be doing something right. My wife and I are looking at getting a new home, so I’ll be sure to check out some agents that have at least 10 years experience.

I like what you say about talking with recent clients. It’s good to know that others have had a good experience with the real estate agent you’re looking to work with. We’re looking to sell our home soon so I’ll be sure to get some referrals from the agent I can talk to.

I like what you say about talking with recent clients. It’s good to know that others have felt comfortable with the real estate agent you’re looking to hire. I’m looking at some homes in golf communities right now and I think I need to find a good agent. I’ll be sure to ask around for some recommendations.

I agree, you should totally find out how long your real estate agent has been in business. I think that this would be good advice to tell my friend, as he’s in the market for a house right now. I am so thankful that I found your blog, it will really make all the difference for him! Thanks for the great advice and expertise you’ve lent me on this day.

My husband and I are considering moving into our first home but we want to make sure that we are able to find the right one for us. It’s good to know that when it comes to hiring the right real estate agent that one thing we need to do is look up the licensing to help make sure that there are no complaints against them before we hire them. This is something that we will have to remember to help us get the agent that we will work well with and is a professional in this field.

The right credentials really can help sell a home, so the article makes a good point about finding an agent with the right ones. After all, as is pointed out, some real estate agents might have training in special areas. Because of this, it might help to ask the agent about any special training they have before deciding whether or not to work with them.

I like your suggestion of looking at the state’s board to check licensing when choosing a real estate who will help you buy your new home. Of course, a new home is a huge investment, and you will need someone reliable to help you out with it. My sister plans to by a new home for our family, and I think these tips will help her a lot. I’ll be sure to let her know about this. Thanks!

I like that you talked about how you can research if how long the agent has been in the business. I believe that this will help you get an overview of how extensive their experiences are when it comes to selling a house. A friend of mine is looking to buy a house by the end of the year. She’s interested in hiring an agent who can help her find the best deals. For me, an experienced agent will play a big factor in how you can find a house that you’re looking for. I will make sure to share your blog with her so she can check it for reference. Thanks for sharing your article about choosing a real estate agent.

Since I’m trying to sell my house for so long, I’m looking into hiring a real estate agent this time to give me expert advice. I like how you mentioned looking at their current listings to determine if their listings are similar to my property and if they have the same price range. I’ll be sure to consider your tips in order to choose a great real estate agent. Thanks!

Thanks for sharing your article about choosing a real estate agent. I like that you talked about how you must pay attention to how long the agent has been in the business because this will give you an overview of how successful a real estate agent. For me, it’ll always be best to go with someone who has the ample amount of experience in selling and buying a house because you have the guarantee that you will get the best service possible. My aunt once told me about her plan to buy a house, so I’ll make sure to share your tips with her.

For me, the best part of your article is when you talked about how you must pay attention to the number of years the real estate agent has been in the business. My mom is looking to buy a property for my brother who’s about to get married by the end of the year. It’s important for us to find a real estate agent who can help us look for a house that will best fit our requirements, and I believe that an experienced agent will deliver the results that we are looking for because they know the ins and outs of every neighborhood. I will make sure to remember all your tips.

The best part of your article for me is when you talked about how you must pay attention to the number of years the real estate agent that you’re interested in has been in the business. My aunt is looking to buy a new house, and it’s necessary for her to find a real estate agent that has an ample experience of helping clients in finding the best home that fits their needs and wants. it’s also important for her to make sure that the real estate agent knows the ins and outs of every stage of buying a house for a hassle free transaction. For me, an agent that has been in the business for quite long has the proper skills to help my aunt find her dream house. I will make sure to share your blog with my aunt so she can get some tips.

I like that you talked about how you can check the current listing of the real estate agent that you’re interested in to check if the properties that she’s handling are similar to the house that you’re looking for. My husband and I are looking to buy a new house, and it’s important for us to buy a house according to what we exactly want and need. For me, checking the website of the real estate agent to check their listings can save our time in finding the best house for us. I will make sure to remember all your tips.

The best part of your article for me is when you talked about how you can directly ask the real estate agent about how long she’s been in the industry to get an overview of her experience in the real estate field. I’m looking to buy a new house for my parents, and it’s important for me to find a real estate that has an adequate experience in helping her clients to find their dream home. For me, their number of years in the business is a proof of how experienced they are. I will make sure to consider all your tips.